We get a hilarious look at the many people that work and play at a private golf course. Danny Noonan (Michael O'Keefe) is dating Maggie O'Hooligan (Sarah Holcomb) and wants to go to college but it doesn't look like he will have the money. The caddyscholarship becomes available and Danny must lower himself to sucking up to Judge Smalls (Ted Knight). Judge Smalls is a club member and is very involved with the operation of the course to the point that he seems to think that he owns the place. Ty Webb (Chevy Chase) is a slacker millionaire. He probably inherited all his money because he sure doesn’t seem to know how to manage it. The one thing he does know is how to play golf, and Danny is usually his caddy. Lacey Underall (Cindy Morgan) is a niece of Judge Smalls and is spending the summer with them. She has pretty loose morals. Al Czervik (Rodney Dangerfield) is a visiting businessman that is building some sub-divisions around the golf course. He is loud, rude, and is always making wisecracks. Carl Spackler (Bill Murray) is the assistant greens keeper who is assigned the task of getting rid of all the gophers invading the course. But the gopher is a pretty crafty rodent and Carl is a little slow. Other characters include Dr. Beeper (Dan Resin) a club member, Tony D’Annunzio (Scott Colomby) a caddy, Bishop Bickering (Henry Wilcoxon) a club member, Lou Loomis (Brian Doyle-Murray) the caddy manager, and many more.

The movie culminates when Al Czervik and Judge Smalls get into a big argument and agree to play a round of golf for $20,000 each. They make it a team effort and Judge Smalls gets Dr. Beeping to play with him while Al Czervik convinces Ty Webb to play on his team. Al Czervik is a horrible golfer and fakes an injury midway through the match and Danny Noonan is asked to finish the round in Al’s place.